Apologies and acceptance
by PainedPage
Summary: Drarry. Draco visits the grave of someone important to Harry after learning all they had done for him determined to set things right.


"..and yeah, I also, I wanted to thank you for everything you did for him."

There was no response. Not surprising since Draco was talking to a headstone but he had hoped for some sign or acknowledgement. There wasn't even a light rustle of breeze, no clouds parting to allow a weak ray of sun through the winter cloud, no birds squawking. It was just silent. Draco felt oddly like he was being judged in that silence and he didn't think he was coming off all that well. He glared at the headstone.

"Look, I said I'm sorry, okay? And I am. I was wrong, about you and your kind and I, I just," Draco huffed out a breath not really sure where he had been going with that. After a few moments thought he tried again. "I-"

"Malfoy!"

 _Shit_

Draco turned and was greeted with a suspicious glare and wand leveled at his chest. "Wanna tell me what the bloody Hell you're doing here Malfoy?"

Draco cleared his throat, brushing himself off as he stood. He had thought it would be easier to beg the deads forgiveness before the livings, he should have known there would have been wards up to alert the authorities if someone was loitering. The ministry and family wouldn't want anyone desecrating or disturbing a war heroes resting place after all.

"Happy too, Weasley," Ronald Weasley scowled at Draco's lack of fear and possible cowering he probably expected and wanted. He knew as an Auror many dark wizards found the man menacing, but right now all Draco could see was a smiling eleven year old boy. "Harry told me about his muggles."

Weasleys eyes were positively owlish and he spluttered. A credit to his Auror training, his wand did not lower or even waver. "No, he wouldn't. You've only been dating two months,"

Draco supposed that made sense but Weasley wasn't there to hear Harry yelling the story at him from across their flat. Draco had found Harry's first Hogwarts letter buried in the back of their closet and refused to let it go. Harry hadn't wanted to tell Draco because he thought the blond would be embarrassed to have a boyfriend who had been abused by muggles. He had expected Draco to break up with him and leave in disgust, before the war he might have done that. Instead he collected Harry in his arms and cuddled on the couch while Harry retold the story at a more acceptable volume. Draco nodded, "I know about the cupboard. The names, the food. That they spoiled and praised their son when he was being horrible to Harry, his teachers not caring when he and his friends would hunt and beat Harry if they caught him. I know everything."

Weasley shook his head. "That doesn't explain why he told you, it's only been two-"

"Yes, yes I know," Draco said a tad impatiently. "But we had that truce when we went back to Hogwarts, and Harry visited me often when I was on house arrest for the next two years -why they did it in that order I'll never understand." He wasn't going to mention that Harry was the _only_ person to visit him those two years and that was when Draco had started falling for the Gryffindor. "We also spent a lot of time together with Teddy after my house arrest and if you recall, Harry was with me for Teddy's first wolf night last year."

That had been a horrible and brilliant night both. Teddy was five and hadn't displayed any wolf attributes. They had been told if Teddy did developed any it would be just traits like advanced hearing or sense of smell and around when puberty hit. So naturally when it was Draco's first time to babysit Teddy overnight, Teddy turned. The boy had been acting different all day but Draco just thought he was nervous having only ever had sleepovers with Harry and the Weasleys. As the day progressed Teddy became glassy eyed and feverish. Not wanting to admit he was buggering up to his Aunt he had firecalled Harry. Teddy had turned a short time after and the two had ended up spending the night locked in the closet behind wards. Neither of them had had it in them to stun the wolf pup.

Weasley cleared his throat clearly uncomfortable, finally lowering his wand. "So, why are you here?"

"I came to talk to him," Draco gestured to Fred Weasleys grave. "Harry told me everything, that includes what you and he and the rest of your family did for him. His first friend, his first Christmas gift, the rescue efforts, his first _real_ family. Your family had so little, but you opened your hearts and your home to him, giving him love and safety and never asked for anything in return. Harry made me promise not to treat him any different, and I won't, but he said nothing about your lot. I have been so wrong, you and your family, are good people."

Weasley took a moment to scrape his jaw off the lawn. Draco politely looked away so the man could collect himself in privacy. "You really mean that, don't you?" Weasleys voice was full of wonder.

"I love Harry and now I understand why your family means so much to him. I want to thank them as well so I came here. Feelings and admitting when I'm wrong has never been easy for me, especially with people outside my family and I thought coming here first would be easiest."

Weasley smiled, "And how'd that go?"

"I'm not sure, you interrupted us."

"Well, then I'll let you get back to it." To Draco complete surprise Weasley gave a small bow then made to leave Draco alone again in the cemetery. He called over his shoulder, "I'll tell mum to set another place for dinner." He Apparated with a sharp crack.

Draco smiled, turned back to the headstone. "I'll do my best." He told it.

There was a slight breeze that ruffled Draco's hair. It was warm.


End file.
